“Didi, how sad that we can’t meet each other..” We keep hearing this from our women from the slum community we associate and journey with.
Pre-Covid times, they could drop in anytime and have chai with us at the Centre. We now engage with them online, but it's not the same.
"I dread the idea of going back to my village because it would definitely mean that I will be forced to get married."
Says Megha* whom we know well. She now sells cosmetics on an online platform, hoping it will keep her from going back to her village penniless.
Megha had never been to school when she met us in 2017, but now with her determination and love for learning, she pursues her graduation through
distance learning.
.
Lalita,* a mother of two, has been struggling to make ends meet this Lockdown. Amidst time constraints, she tried to attend our online class to complete her graduation, but faced these discouraging words from her husband.
“What is the point of your degree if at the end of it all you are only going to be a maid in someone's house?"
The word 'Lockdown' is uncomfortable to the women at Sahaitha, evoking feelings of sadness, despair and uncertainty. Unlike many who can safely work from home, they have no option but to get out to often tightly packed workspaces, living hand-to-mouth.
“What do women from Sahaitha say they need?”
1. Food provisions to last a month.
2. A space to share freely about their pressures at home.
3. A way to connect with others, so as not to feel so isolated.
4. Career counselling towards future studies
5. Job opportunities for themselves and their family members
Delhi has begun to unlock again, but living with the pandemic brings new challenges.
Help us to share hope and further empower these resilient women amidst the pain and challenges they face.
Know more about Sahaitha or write to us at contact@newgenerationtrust.org
*Names changed to protect identity
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